Through the Portal
by elations
Summary: Ty Lee falls through a spirit portal that was thought to be dormant and gets hopelessly lost in the spirit world. Prince Wu (literally) stumbles across her. WuLee, the pairing that never could be.
1. Chapter 1

Ty Lee wasn't sure how she got herself into this mess. One minute she had been laughing it up with her Kyoshi friends and then...what? Some playful shoving had caught her off guard and she had tumbled into the spirit portal. Honestly, who has a party around a spirit portal? Avatar Aang apparently.

They were called to celebrate his and Zuko's ongoing success about getting the world back to a better place. Or something like that. Ty Lee really tried to pay attention, but her mind always had a habit of wandering, especially if politics were involved.

So here she was, magically in the spirit world where it was said to be highly dangerous because you couldn't rely on your bending here. Well, Ty Lee was even better at hand to hand now that she was a Kyoshi warrior and she didn't have any bending to worry about losing. That, coupled with the fact that she was a naturally curious young woman, is what encouraged her to explore a little.

Now she was struggling through dense vegetation in some sort of spirit jungle. This wasn't the amazing adventure she had planned, but she had already tried to backtrack once before. Obviously it hadn't worked. If anything, she was even more lost.

Sweaty and exhausted, she finally sat down at the base of a tree. She wasn't too concerned with being lost. The Avatar could find her and bring her out in no time. Probably. Hopefully. In the mean time, a nap suited her just fine. She hadn't seen any spirits so far and was not worried about being eaten.

Imagine her surprise when a lanky young man tripped over her outstretched legs. He was going as fast as he could, so his tumble was an extensive one. A lot of bemoaning his fate followed, beginning with,

"Wu down!"

Ty Lee was instantly alert because what else could you be when you thought you were being attacked? The momentum from her unlucky assailant had drug her away from her resting place and now she was standing over a well dressed guy. By the color of his unusual clothes she could tell he was Earth Kingdom but little else. She attributed his style to the fact that she had lost touch with the outside world a bit when she was isolated on Kyoshi, so her casual garb wasn't exactly up to date.

"Who are you?" She demanded. Interrogation wasn't her best skill because she had a hard time looking tough most of the time, but this guy seemed too scared to realize.

"No time! I'm being stalked by a dangerous predator!" He declared, wriggling away from her on his back. Ty Lee turned to face the rustling foliage of a nearby plant, sliding into a fighting stance. It was all for naught, though, because the vicious predator turned out to be a dragonfly bunny spirit that was actually very friendly.

"Dangerous predator, hm?" She couldn't help but giggle, even though she was trying to maintain a tough girl image. There was no rule that said tough girls didn't giggle.

"Well, uh, you should've seen him in the dark?" The stranger shrugged sheepishly. He got to his feet, brushing himself off before extending a hand. "Wu, former Earth Kingdom Prince." Ty Lee went to shake it but he quickly flipped his hand so that he was holding hers as if she was a noblewoman. He placed a chaste kiss on the back of her hand and she smiled. Ty Lee wasn't a stranger to the attentions of handsome young men, but there was a decided lack of those on the island.

"Ty Lee," she said simply. No need to throw in the Kyoshi warrior bit just now, it tended to drive off mainlander guys.

"Were you really going to fight off that spirit?" He asked in awe.

"Well I guess, if it had been an actual threat."

"You're so brave! Just like my bodyguard, Mako," he sighed wistfully.

"He's not doing his job very well," she laughed, and Wu laughed too.

"Well I wanted to get some inspiration to launch my music career and I kind of snuck off on him."

"Are you lost too?" Ty Lee gasped. This could turn out to be her lucky day after all, never mind how this guy and his guard got into the spirit world. Immediately the two bonded. Their boisterous, outgoing personalities meshed perfectly. They talked about themselves mainly, and anything that didn't fit from their realities was easily explained away.

"So, where do you live in the real world?" Wu asked. He was trying to restrain himself but hey, it wasn't his fault if he was too charming. You can't help how you're born. Mako had been trying to teach him that girls didn't like it when you came on too strong, hence the restraint.

"On an island." Even though they were hitting it off pretty good, her training still might intimidate him. Especially since he was so laughably weak. She kicked a rock as they went, the jungle long gone. Instead they were walking through a grassy canyon dominated by large canopied trees.

"So you're some kind of nobility hm?" He asked, waggling those ridiculously thick eyebrows of his.

"No, well, yes but-it's complicated," she laughed.

"I like my women complicated." He continued his silly, flirty behavior and realized that maybe it had been too much too soon, but Ty Lee just giggled and modestly turned her face away. Wu decided that Mako didn't know anything about the fairer sex and he had been a fool for listening to him.

"Well, I'm not that complicated. I have six identical sisters who are just like me," she admitted halfheartedly. They had only known each other a few hours, but she felt like they were kindred spirits already. She had never opened up to any guy about this (except for that time Zuko was there, but that didn't count) before and it surprised her.

"Is it like looking into a mirror every day?" He seemed to marvel at the idea of so many exact looking siblings.

"It was, but I don't live there any more."

"I'd like to have a twin so I could look at my perfect face 24/7, even without a mirror!" He declared, striking a wide stance. Unfortunately they had been winding their way up for a few minutes now out of the canyon and Wu's wide stance put his foot just over the edge. He lost his balance and toppled backward. Lucky for him, it was a graded incline that wasn't too steep instead of a sheer drop.

Ty Lee jumped after him, rolling to increase her speed and get below him then straightening her legs out facing the canyon floor to catch him. His momentum carried them for a few feet but eventually they were motionless, and could finally assess their position.

In an effort to slow them down, she had widened her area coverage so that now she was on her hands and knees, straddling Wu's waist. They were both panting from what Wu would later deem a near death experience.

Now, Ty Lee was no stranger to flirtations and innocent hand holding, but she had always maintained the idea that boys were more like play things or servants for a pretty girl, such as herself. The wild beating of her heart and nervousness she attributed to the mini rescue mission, but there was a strange and unfamiliar feeling developing in her.

"You must be my guardian angel!" He gasped from underneath her. He launched himself upwards to hug her and they started sliding again so he forced himself to lay still. In truth, he was going through a very similar metamorphosis. Girls only liked him because he had been a prince, he knew that. He had never actually got one of them to go on a second date either, despite what he claimed to Mako. He had no doubt that this pretty young thing was supposed to be in his life, and she had confirmed his suspicions when she saved his life.

"You can thank me when we're on solid ground." Her face was red with a mix of exertion and blush. "Do you think you can climb to the path?" It looked doubtful.

They had slid much farther than she originally thought. Before he could answer, she caught sight of a shallow cave half way to the path and to the right.

"Okay new plan. There's a cave halfway up, but it's to the right. We can rest there," she explained. The climb was slow going, since she positioned herself below him to stop him if he fell again. It happened a handful of times before they were both safe in a thankfully unoccupied cave.

"You're really amazing," he panted, laying on his back and staring up at the dark rocky ceiling.

"It's kind of my job," she shrugged, secretly pleased.

"You save people for a living?"

"Yup. And other stuff. Top secret stuff. If I told you, I'd have to kill you," she joked.

"As former Prince, I can assure you I have the highest clearance to information." They laughed until they were breathless, which wasn't long.

Ty Lee assessed their cuts and bruises. Only one of his was serious, and she tore the end of her pant leg to serve as a makeshift bandage.

"So you're a professional hero, you have six mirrors for sisters, and you're complicated nobility. Anything else?" He rolled onto his side so they were facing each other.

"I was in a circus for a while," she said after a moment.

"Wow I love the circus! Did you have badgermoles?" He was downcast when she told him there had been no badgermoles. This mood was short lived, however, when she asked him about his blossoming music career.

"It all started when I was signing to two badgermoles! They liked my singing so much, it inspired me to leave my crown behind and launch my career. Like I said, I was here to get inspiration when I wandered off and ran into an angel." He winked at her and she giggled. It was hard to tell if he was genuine in his flirtation or not.

"You know, I've never met a guy like you," she said at last.

"I'm one in a million," he replied proudly.

"That's true, but what I meant to say is...I've never gotten along with someone so well," she finished lamely. That's not what she had wanted to say, but she panicked and that's what came out.

"Can I be honest with you?" He asked, his face very serious. She replied that he could. "Mako was my first real friend. By association, his friends are my friends. But you're the second friend I've made on my own."

"Being royal is tough. I was friends with a royal once, but it didn't turn out so good."

"Hey, now you can be friends with a royal again. Or, ex-royal," he corrected himself. Seeing his new found (attractive) friend looking so down was not okay in his books. "Not to brag or anything, but I know the Avatar personally." He decided a change of subject would get her mind away from her former friend.

"Wow, what a coincidence! Me too!"

"How can we have a mutual acquaintance and never hear of each other?" He gasped, as if the whole world was to blame for this grave injustice.

"I guess it just never came up in conversation?" She guessed.

"Let's make a pact that when we get out of here, we'll meet up in the real world. Like a date," he added with a nervous laugh.

"I'd like that a lot. Can we meet at Fire Lord Zuko's statue in front of the palace?"

"No problem, we can meet in a week." There was a lull where they decided to begin their ascent. "So, you're a Fire Nation lady?" He grunted, struggling to hoist himself up.

"I was born there," she returned, stopping his slide whenever he couldn't get any forward motion.

"That's cool. Never dated one before." His sentences were choppy with his desire to breath more easily. Ty Lee saved him from responding by not answering herself. All the while, Wu had a steady chant of, "do it for the ladies" that gave him enough willpower to reach the top. Only then did she reply.

"About what you said before, I've never dated an Earth Kingdom guy before. Or an ex-prince."

Wu tried to laugh but ended it quickly, gasping for air. Between their panting breaths, Ty Lee could hear someone calling out. She stifled her breathing and motioned for Wu to do the same.

"It's Mako!" He yelped, and tried to call back but he was too out of breath. She called out for him instead, and the guy named Mako came striding up the path they had come up before.

"Wu, what on earth happened to you?" Mako asked angrily, having already assessed Ty Lee as a non threat.

"Fell off the edge, beautiful girl saved me," he explained weakly. Now Mako studied the girl more carfully before thanking her.

"It's no problem, we were both lost and we decided to band together. I was happy to help."

"Mako, we have to take her with us, she's-"

Just then, Ty Lee could hear her name being called at the top of the canyon.

"I'm here!" She called back, and turned to Wu. "I guess I'll see you later, superstar," she grinned with a wink. The thought of getting out of the spirit world energized her enough so she ran the rest of the way to her friends. It was the girls from Kyoshi along with the Avatar.

"We've been searching forever!" One exclaimed, gripping her in a tight hug.

"Sorry about that, I thought the portal was closed," Aang admitted sheepishly. She assured him it was okay, she hadn't been wandering around alone this whole time.

"I met an incredible guy, and he was lost too!" No matter how much her fellow warriors begged, she wouldn't tell them who it was. She wasn't entirely sure herself. She would've remembered an Earth Prince from when Azula had taken control of Ba Sing Se. She glanced behind her but it was useless, a bend in the path hid Wu and Mako from view. No matter, she would find out in a week.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Short bit of an update, and now I'm considering adding yet another chapter to this for closure. You'll understand what I mean when you finish.**

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><p>It took Ty Lee the better part of the week to get to her former hometown. Well, home city, but that was of little significance. For Wu it was a couple days by airship. Both were within the city by the appointed day, but there were things still to be done.<p>

For instance, Wu was going all out with his grooming. At least a day at the spa was needed, though he still couldn't convince Mako to join him. He had also tried to convince Mako that he wouldn't be needed on said date, but dutiful Mako would not be swayed.

Ty Lee went on a shopping spree for the newest look as dictated by the fashion trends. She savored wearing her native colors again, especially the pink. Pink was rare on Kyoshi Island.

On the very day itself, Ty Lee found herself being considerably early and decided a walk around the plaza would help work out that nervous energy building in her stomach. Well, she could just be hungry, but that was unlikely.

Wu was only slightly late. He figured that he was in the clear though, since Ty Lee was nowhere to be seen. He sat in the grass around the statue and looked out at the plaza. Readily visible were many little shops, some boasting 100 years of business or more. Despite it being one of the oldest parts of the city, Wu had to admit that it looked reasonably fresh. Mako sat stonily beside him, arms crossed over his chest. A short time later, Mako began to get testy.

"Well, where is she?" He asked, more than a little annoyed.

"Patience dear Mako, it's only been—"

"It's been two hours!"

Okay, so maybe Wu didn't have the best time perception in the world.

"I'm sure she'll be here," the former Prince insisted, but he was beginning to grow nervous. He had been stood up before, sure, but he didn't get that vibe from Ty Lee. It was very close to sunset now, and with every passing person he was hoping it was her.

"Mako, I believe my date has been kidnapped," Wu began gravely, but Mako interrupted.

"Your date stood you up." As if to add some kind of play on words, Mako stood. "We should head back to the hotel before it gets too dark."

"She's not that kind of girl," he insisted.

"Then we can look for her tomorrow." Clearly Mako didn't believe that this girl was in any serious danger. When Wu was trying to insist on doing it that night, Mako added, "Look, she saved your butt in the spirit world right? I think she can handle herself."

Although this had poor implications for his judge of character, Wu sighed dramatically before consenting to leave.

All night he proposed theories such as ninjas, assassins, gangs, dragons, etc. He didn't sleep and as a result, Mako slept little.

The next day they talked to the law enforcement of the city and a sketch of her. But that wasn't good enough.

"She lives on an island, what if her boat sunk?"

There had been no record of bad storms, but tireless Wu set out to find the island. Which was a problem, because there were many islands surrounding the Fire Nation capital.

Mako pointed out that she had been wearing Earth Kingdom colors, and the only island he knew that was their was Kyoshi. It was a long shot, or so they thought.

They were greeted by the humble residents of the island, the actual practice of the Kyoshi warriors having gone out of practice over the past 80 years. When shown the sketch they all shook their heads. No one in the crowd had seen the young woman, except a girl child about 8 years old. She marveled at the picture and led them to her house, where her mother confirmed it.

"Yes, this looks like my mother when she was young." She showed them a portrait of a young woman slightly older than the Ty Lee that Wu had met, but it was her alright. He tried to argue that she had six other identical sisters, but that was easily discredited with confirmation of her name.

He stood at her grave marker at the local cemetery and stood, dumbfounded. Just yesterday he was going to have a wonderful date with a beautiful girl and now...he was standing at her gravesite. She had only passed five years ago. What would he have done if she were still alive? Could he have done anything? She would've been very old. He supposed he could've apologize for being 70 odd years late. The laugh died in his throat. Somehow, the joke wasn't very funny.

On the way back to the new Republic City, Wu moped on deck while Mako radioed the Fire Nation capital law enforcement to call off the search. He looked out at the gray ocean and wondered if he'd ever see Ty Lee in the spirit world again or if it was just a fluke. With a growing determination, he decided he would.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Ah, so here we are at the final installment. I left it pretty open ended to maybe add another oneshot or two to this AU at a later date. If you're _still_ not quite satisfied, I'd be happy to discuss whatever in a PM. For now, enjoy. **

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><p>Ty Lee began to meditate. It was fairly easy to do in a place of high spiritual energy, even for a non bender. Even after two years of training under Avatar Aang and his air acolytes, it still took her an hour to meditate her spirit into the spirit world.<p>

At first it had been a frustrated need for answers that drove her. Now it was a daily habit to let her spirit loose among the more familiar parts of that other world. Once she had pushed herself so hard and so long that her physical body had suffered nearly irreparable damage. Luckily Katara was a miraculous healer, or she likely wouldn't be alive today.

As to why she had been so desperately searching...no, she didn't like to think of that. It was silly really, to risk your health looking for someone you only met once. Maybe it was the mystery that drew her, those strange things he claimed. There was no Prince Wu of the Earth Kingdom, nor did Aang know that name. He didn't know a Mako either, which only deepened the mystery.

Her spirit form shivered. Thinking about that puzzle always made it hard to keep her here, so she didn't.

She soared on the back of a long time friendly eagleowl spirit, wondering what it would really be like to fly and lamenting that she hadn't been born an air bender. She could only hope for it in her next incarnation.

They were passing over a large canyon that Ty Lee only knew too well when she caught sight of something. Whatever it was, it was only a speck from so high up, so she asked the spirit to take her in for a closer look. A speck became two specks, then became two humanoid shapes, then became two men as she closed in on them. She was unsure about asking to land, conflict raging inside of her when the spirit landed any way.

"A goddess," one breathed, the only one she had eyes for. "I called you an angel before, but surely you're a goddess." Ty Lee set her jaw. How dare he.

"You think you can just stand me up and years later think it's okay to compliment me." Her voice was deathly cold, her look of utter outrage wouldn't be masked, not after all these years. He tried to get a word in, but she raised her voice over him. "I waited all day for you to show up." Hot, angry tears distorted her vision. "Nobody knew who you were, nobody had even heard of you. You're a filthy liar," she accused, taking a step forward and jabbing his chest with her finger.

"I'm not—" He tried to explain, but flinched when she jabbed at him harder.

"Tell me who you are!" She demanded, her other hand clenched tight in a fist at her side. The tears had won her over and Wu had honestly never felt so bad in his life.

"Ty Lee..." He murmured. Never had he given thought to how she might have felt after all of this. At least he had gotten answers, whereas she had been caught in a vortex of questions and zero answers. Wu tried to place a comforting hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off weakly. He was encouraged by the weakness of the gesture. Maybe he could get through to her after all and tried again.

"I'm not a liar, but this is going to sound outrageous. Please, bear with me." Her eyes retained their wariness throughout his tale; about waiting all day too, calling on law enforcement, and finally what he had found on Kyoshi Island. She looked hard at him when he was finished.

"Your Avatar, what's his name?" Was the first question out of her mouth. She had since stopped crying and they had all sat down, Mako a few yards off.

"Her name is Korra, she was born a waterbender."

Ty Lee nodded. From what she had learned of the Avatar cycle, this is where Aang's spirit would reincarnate next. It was a lot to take in, a handsome stranger from a future where she had already lived, loved, and died.

"Sorry doesn't cover what I feel," he continued after a moment. She tried to dismiss it because who could've known time was relative in the spirit world? He only shook his head. "I looked for you this whole time. I wanted to explain everything to you. I only wish I could've told you sooner."

She let out a hiccuped laugh, about to cry again. Not out of rage or fear or sadness, but happy tears that threatened to drown them all. Wu thought he had said something wrong and tried to comfort her again, and she let him. He leaned in, closing the distance between them and realized she was smiling. He smiled too, thumbing the tears off of her cheeks.

This is what it must be like to have a soulmate, he found himself thinking. We are drawn together like two magnets.

Just then they acted upon that magnetism, eyes fluttering shut at their long overdue first kiss. It was short and sweet, no bitter resentment to poison it any more. Their laughter was giddy and contagious, building on their own high before someone shook Ty Lee's physical form. She wavered a moment and had to assure a now alarmed Wu that everything was fine.

"I'm here only in spirit this time. I can come whenever I want, but can only stay a little while." Wu had already explained about the portal in the future Republic City, but she had neglected to tell him about her meditation.

"I'll meet you here tomorrow? Same time, same place?" He asked hopefully, clasping her hands in his own.

"Definitely. And don't be late," she added playfully, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. He was still waving to the spot where her form had disappeared when Mako approached.

"Ah Mako, they don't make 'em like that any more," he said, clapping his friend on the shoulder before they turned and departed.


End file.
